Beating at Slidell motel may leave man with brain damage

A display of boxing techniques turned into genuine violence early Thursday morning when a Texas man and his 16-year-old nephew severely beat another man in their Slidell motel room, authorities said.

The 26-year-old victim, who is originally from Slidell but now lives in Minnesota, has not regained consciousness and may have sustained brain damage during the attack, Slidell Police spokesman Capt. Kevin Foltz said.

Martin Q. Aleman, 42, and his nephew told police they met the man at the Motel 6 on Taos Street late Wednesday or early Thursday and invited him back to their room, Foltz said. Inside the room, the men began drinking and may have taken prescription drugs before they began talking about boxing, he said.

The two men began showing off their boxing skills but their sparring escalated into an actual fight, Foltz said. During the scuffle the victim was knocked down and dazed after hitting his head on the floor, he said.

Aleman straddled the man, continuing to punch him and eventually grabbing a pair of scissors, Foltz said. The 16-year-old jumped in when it looked as if his uncle were about to stab the man and received a minor cut across his chest as he pulled Aleman off the man.

Aleman's nephew was not identified because he is a juvenile.

While Aleman and his nephew were talking, the man stood up and, still in a daze, began swinging his arms wildly, Foltz said. His flailing struck the Aleman's nephew, who flew into a rage and attacked the man, knocking him to the ground once again.

Aleman and his nephew continued beating the man as he lay on the ground, stopping only when the 16-year-old's father returned to the room, Foltz said. The two older men then began knocking on the doors of other motel rooms until someone called 9-1-1 about 4:30 a.m.

The victim was taken to NorthShore Regional Medical Center, but doctors will not know the full extent of the man's injuries until he regains consciousness, Foltz said.

Aleman said he, the 16-year-old and the 16-year-old's father were traveling back to Edinburg, Texas, after picking tomatoes in Florida.

Aleman and the 16-year-old were each booked with second-degree battery.